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The sun-drenched plains of Tanzania are an ideal spot for wildlife viewing, but no matter how long you’re willing to wait, there are certain animals you’re unlikely to ever spot.

That’s because many of the animals that call Tanzania home are primarily nocturnal, spending the warm days resting, hidden in a shady nook or an underground burrow, and only emerging after dark to hunt and explore.

We didn’t want our guests to miss out on this prime-time for wildlife viewing, so we recently set up night vision camera traps near a few of the nyumba camps. Motion-activated, these cameras offer us a glimpse of the nocturnal wildlife visitors in the area (and might give travelers an idea of what that sound outside REALLY was).

In just the first few days, we spotted a:

Hyena

Though it’s easy to spot hyenas during the day, they’re most active at night. If you listen closely after dark—or really at all—you’ll likely hear their eerie cries in the distance.

Crested Porcupine

During the daytime, crested porcupines keep cool in underground burrows or caves, but overnight, they head out to hunt for bones…(yes, you read that right).

Civet

It’s hard to see in this photo, but one of the civet’s most easily-recognizable characteristics is well-suited to a life of sneaking around at night: its “face mask” markings, similar to a racoon’s!

Genet

We only caught a (back-of-the-)head shot of this little guy, so you can’t see his extra-long tail, used to help the small, mongoose-like genets maintain balance when they jump from tree-limb to tree-limb!

Bushpig

This bushpig is probably out foraging for roots, carrion, or even small mammals. Though we didn’t catch any pictures of them, it’s a good bet that he has several friends nearby; the pigs usually travel in packs.

Honey Badger

These honey badgers don’t care that there’s a camera nearby; they’re too busy digging up snacks (besides honey, they also love insects, small reptiles, and birds). What’s really exciting for us is catching this notoriously grumpy grubber its offspring. The animals are mostly solitary, and don’t even share their burrows (maybe it’s because even THEY can’t stand their tempers!).

The night is pitch black, but the interior of the underground cave you’ve stumbled upon is darker yet. As you cautiously creep through the opening, you hear a crunch underfoot. Could it be hundreds of scurrying insects? No, it’s too solid-sounding, and nothing seems to be moving. Is it tree roots? In the beam of a flashlight, the brittle little bits look almost white…

…and that’s when you realize you’re walking over a bed of hundreds, maybe thousands, of bones.

No, you haven’t stepped into the pages of a Stephen King novel, but do be careful: you’re in the lair of an African crested porcupine, and if it’s not happy to see you, you could be in for a very pointed request to leave.

Though they may be small compared to Africa’s best-known predators (crested porcupines rarely get larger than 60 lbs.), the porcupine packs an outsized punch. Covered in long, extremely sharp quills which they will fluff up when threatened (in order to appear larger), porcupines attack backside first, with a flamenco-style foot-stamping as a prelude. These reverse-charges have been known to kill hyenas, leopards, lions, and even humans.

The quills are as intriguing as they are injurious. Soft and white at birth, the quills—which are actually specialized hairs—begin to harden within hours. Many are hollow, allowing the porcupine to swim (and often earning a second life as fishing floats). Some, near the tail, are shaped almost like a bell (with the “handle” attaching to the porcupine’s body). At a young age, the points of these break off, and when the porcupine shakes them, they make a loud rattling noise (often used as a warning to predators).

So why the morbid collecting habit?

Though they’re much larger than your average house mouse (we hope!), porcupines are rodents, and like mice and rats, their teeth grow continuously throughout their lives. Nocturnal, they often stumble upon animal bones at night, and drag them back to their caves or burrows as extremely grim chew toys.

They’ve also been known to chew on rocks and toughened tree roots to whittle down their teeth…

Thomson Safaris

Founded in 1981 and based in Watertown Massachusetts, Thomson Safaris has been handcrafting trips-of-a-lifetime for over 30 years. Tanzania is our only destination, and has truly become our second home. We’re excited to be able to share it with you through stories and features on our blog.